Inkbunny

sounds good too. and idk i think your art looks good. im not sure about your prices as i haven't commissioned you, but it seems like your doing well.

Carrot

11 years, 8 months ago

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@ Jovo

I've been doing just fine~ This journal is more about you guys.

KevinSnowpaw

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost. Style and Quality are the main things i consider when watching an artist or asking for artwork.

DivineFrog

11 years, 8 months ago

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Oh I really want to answer this after I finish my oily pesto provologne boca burger and grab a beer.

DivineFrog

11 years, 8 months ago

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@ DivineFrog

My answer depends to a great extent on the particular situation, and whether I'm trying to think/find an artist to draw a specific pic, or whether I'm trying to think of a pic for a particular artist (whom I like) to draw.

This seems to be the consistent theme for me, and is always there at least to some degree:
For me, when I commission someone, I want to be sure they will enjoy what they are drawing. If the artist isn't really into the subject matter or whatever, then the result suffers and I can see that clearly. It's also far less satisfying to me, as I feel that I have burdened them with more work. If they do care and they do thoroughly enjoy drawing it, not only does the final result tend to look much better, but I get the satisfaction of bringing joy to someone, in addition to the joys of cash. It's sort of a personal thing for me but I really like it when an artist enjoys what they draw. I tend to be -super- open to feedback or counter-suggestions from the artist, and I love the process of discussing it because it tells me you care about the subject and not just the cash. I've seen tons of artists fall into the habbit of doing more frequent hastier work, raise their prices by a factor of four or more with no impoetus, spam promotions for their new patreon, or just straight up bang out YCHs nonstop to scrounge for cash (because those PRINT money). I no longer commission those people, because I think they've lost sight of why people like me commission. I allocate money that I can't really afford to spend for these things because I like to help people with similar interests develop and grow. Sharing the rare experience of finding someone else who loves the same things you do is pretty great.

DivineFrog

11 years, 8 months ago

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@ DivineFrog

Also I love your enthousiasm and you're an awesome fun guy to work with!

DanielBunny

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost – Is cost alone something that will deter/encourage you to commission someone?
Quite a limited budget, so yes.

Subject/Content – Will you commission an artist solely because they draw things other people won’t?
yes

Style/Vision - To see something unique and different (in execution/artistry)?
Not sure what this means

Artist – Will you commission someone because you like them/what they stand for (maybe their actual art is 2nd)?
Not always, but it helps if they're friendly ^_^

Name – Is it cool seeing popular artists work with your characters?
It's cool seeing an artist work with my characters, period.

Availability/Speed – Because someone is quick and reliable/fast?
I prefer an artist to take their time on a piece. Some are TOO quick, and the rush is shown in the image.

Quality – General artistry/draftsmanship – does this matter to you?
Only with certain specific details

ern

11 years, 8 months ago

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I would say quality. My own personal goal is to always outdo myself, make better quality artwork regardless.

Calister

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost is important to an extent. A high price is obviously a deterrent to a lot of people; some people are just cheap while others simply can't afford it. There is no set maximum price I'd be willing to pay if I felt the quality of the artists work is worth what is being asked. If you ask the question "Is this artist worth what they charge?" what you'll often find is artists underselling themselves.

Content is one of the more important things when deciding to commission someone, but that's sort of a given. Can't commission someone who isn't willing to draw your idea.

Style and Quality are pretty much the same to me, and the most important. As an example, you weren't the first person I went to for the picture I am commissioning from you, DizziMorhlis was. He wasn't exactly comfortable with it, even though he was willing to draw it for me. I didn't want to put him in that position though, and the more I thought about it, the more your art style fit with my idea better, and so going to you was a no brainer.

Artist: There are things that will prevent me from commissioning certain artists, but I can't think of anything, at least having to do with the person's personality, that would make me want to commission them over somebody else.

Name: Who doesn't like having something a popular person made? "Dudes, check out what I just got from SuperPop-u-fur!" is always fun.

Speed is wonderful, the quicker the better. But everyone has a life, and I try to be as understanding of that as possible. Waiting a long time only gets irritating if you know the artist is over extending them self with a huge que of work, but then again, if I like their work enough then waiting isn't really much of an issue.

Lastly I'll say this, that finding an artist who is just as enthusiastic about bringing your idea to life is always nice. It's not every day you'll find someone who seems excited to draw slug penis :p

Neos8

11 years, 8 months ago

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Edited 11 years, 8 months ago by Owner

Cost? - well i'm all for buying something from an artists, but i just don't do it often. it would be something that would mean ALOT more than fap material lol.
Subject/content? - yeah though i would ask just in case if artists don't let you know so you don't get your hopes up. on that note i would try and draw it myself if need be X3.
Style/vision - yeah if they have a certain approach to the subject like muscles or a certain realism to it besides cartoony.
Artist? - well it's a tough one cause there are alot of talented artists out there. i wouldn't say that i would like them unless i knew them or chatted with them for a time. i feel like you got to get to know what keeps them going.
Name - i wouldn't know about characters and such as i don't make them lol. i think it would be nice to meet their character, but its a preference.
availability/ speed? - i don't really mind it cause the best art comes to those with patience X3. being fast or slow shouldn't be THAT much of an issue (unless you paid them and its been years or its a free request)
Quality? - this can be linked to the previous question. i think it is a preference or what i feel is awesome at the time. from dirty sketches to the crisp and refined details that i or any artist does.

sorry i felt like being organized

Balmung

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost: A factor, but the important is the price/quality ratio. I can justify spending more money if the art is really good

Subject/Content: Yes, some of my commission ideas are things that not all artists will draw. So I will definitely favor those that will, perhaps even for clean things as a form of appreciation, and to keep style consistent

Style/Vision: Different artists have different styles, some are a good fit for some ideas, and not for others.

Artist: The reverse is more likely: I won't commission if I don't like you. But if I really like you for some reason I will probably show a preference.

Name: It has some appeal, but the right style and good quality matters more

Availability/Speed: Reliability is great, speed is less of a big deal. I understand that life happens.

Quality: Very important. I like looking at nice things.

sigmaweapon

11 years, 8 months ago

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Importance from 1 to 10?

Cost: Impossible to say. It would vary depending on how impressive the other qualities are.

Subject/Content: 4. What I want most is simply a perfect pinup of a female anthro otter. But feel free to ignore this because many others would obviously want the more extreme stuff.

Style/Vision: 9. What I like is not necessarily someone's style, but someone's ability to mimic styles.My tastes in style are so specific that it would be that important.

Artist: 1. Why should I care who made a pic so long as it's a good pic?

Name: 1. See above.

Availability/Speed: 5. I'm willing to wait as long as is necessary for a pic so long as I know it hasn't simply been shelved.

Quality: 10. The amount of detail you can stuff into a pic is the single most important thing in my mind. Many furry artists draw their furs with smooth bodies, as if they have bare skin of an odd color. I want furries to have actual fur! The more detailed, the better, preferably like THIS.

sigmaweapon

11 years, 8 months ago

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@ sigmaweapon

Change artist to 3. I didn't look at the definition. I wouldn't mind what an artist stands for unless it was something absurd. Though absurd is relative.

sigmaweapon

11 years, 8 months ago

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@ sigmaweapon

I now realize what an ass I sounded like. I was actually thinking specifically of the ottergirl pinup I've always wanted when answering that question. It's so personal to me that I cannot accept any variation from my dream of what it would be. There are other things I would love to commission, and most of them are far more open to interpretation.

Aogami

11 years, 8 months ago

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If I were to buy commissions I would first set a budget - how much I'm willing to spend. Then I'd go out and look around for artists with styles I find appealing within that price range - obviously more popular artists with bigger names are going to be easier to find, but the name itself wouldn't be a factor. From those, I would make a shortlist based on history of speed and reliability - do they have an AB entry and was it resolved? How long to people typically wait? Have they ever refused someone a refund etc.

Shippo

11 years, 8 months ago

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Edited 11 years, 8 months ago by Owner

Cost - Yes

Subject/Content - No. I only commission those I can afford or like their art, style etc

Artist - If I like the artist themselves its a bonus for us both :)

Name - Yes I like seeing my name associated with popular furs BUT!! It really doesnt matter as I like working with everyone ^^

Availability/Speed I do not *Swears* about how long it takes to receieve a commission as long as it gets done ^^ I once waited six months for a commission that the artist himself had even forgotten I had paid him for lol.

Quality - NO! As long as I like//enjoy the pic well enough I dont care about quality. As nice as good quality artwork is sometimes it can be a bit too much.

These are my feelings ^___^

Lars

11 years, 8 months ago

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Edited 11 years, 8 months ago by Owner

Cost – It all depends on the quality.

Subject/Content – I mostly commission people based on what they will allow.

Style/Vision - I commission people whose art style I like the most, for the most part.

Artist – I mostly commission people based on their style and what they will allow.

Name – This shouldn't matter.

Availability/Speed – Needs to be taken at a case by case basis.

Quality – I care a lot about quality and whether the artist is meeting their current standards that they have set for themselves.

I will be commissioning you again for another Tod and Cooper image as I like the way you draw them, and I think the quality of your work is good.

Afterglow

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost –
Obviously I can only buy things in my price range.  At the same time, it is painful when I sometimes see certain artists severely underselling themselves, though it is rare.

Subject/Content – Will you commission an artist solely because they draw things other people won’t?
Of course!  This is probably one of the biggest reasons I would choose one artist over another, for a certain character or kink.  If Artist A has an example or several of (X kind of thing) and does it in a fantastic way, then that will make me want to pay them to draw something similar for me.
I've even had the desire to do this to talented artists who don't accept commissions, e.g. I'd love to see what Dagasi could do with some uncut characters of mine.

Style/Vision - To see something unique and different (in execution/artistry)?
See above.  Basically the same answer~

Artist – Will you commission someone because you like them/what they stand for (maybe their actual art is 2nd)?
Not usually.  This is more likely to be a factor if an artist has some awful standing.  Although I guess "being really sweet" is one of the reasons I've commissioned Whimsy multiple times.

Name – Is it cool seeing popular artists work with your characters?
I don't really care if they're popular or not.  I just want the art style to look good, and that can often correspond with fame.

Availability/Speed – Because someone is quick and reliable/fast?
I'd like my commission artist to be in communication with me each step of the way, so we can talk about the piece as it's in development.  I want to see plenty of WIP screenshots~!
Speed isn't as important.

Quality – General artistry/draftsmanship – does this matter to you?
O' course if does!

CeilYurei

11 years, 8 months ago

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THis order, cost, Style quality, subject/content, artist speed, name Cost is first because what I am willing to pay varies upon the other factors.

fluffdance

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost – Is cost alone something that will deter/encourage you to commission someone?

Because my income is limited, my ability to spend money on commissions is limited as well.  There are a LOT of artists out there I would absolutely love to dump steaming gobs of money upon, but sadly, I just can't afford to.

Subject/Content – Will you commission an artist solely because they draw things other people won’t?

Absolutely!  I'm into some pretty weird shit.  I've found that most artists have a tendency to throw feces and write a doctoral thesis about how I'm a horrible person that needs to die when I try to commission them.  Especially people who openly state "I'll draw anything!" when they open for commissions.  Apparently "anything" doesn't have the same meaning that I learned in grade school, or something.  XD

Style/Vision - To see something unique and different (in execution/artistry)?

Sometimes, here!  It really depends on what I'm in the mood for, and the ultimate goal of the piece.  Some artists I approach entirely based on their style and just cross my fingers that they're willing to try something new (You come to mind!).

Artist – Will you commission someone because you like them/what they stand for (maybe their actual art is 2nd)?

This...Is a tough one.  I've certainly withdrawn commissions in the past--and not commissioned artists in the first place--because of something that put me off.  Years back I had commissioned a rather large piece from someone, only to find out that the money I sent them was used INTENTIONALLY for them to go out binge-drinking, fully knowing that they would be driving themselves home that night while wasted.  Of the few commissions I've had go bad in the past, that's the only one I'm still upset about.

Name – Is it cool seeing popular artists work with your characters?

Name doesn't mean anything to me.  All this "popufur" crap is completely out of hand.  Here's what I care about:  Are you a generally decent person?  Are you honest?  Can I talk to you? (whether just for commissions or not, I like being able to bounce ideas around and get into a dialogue)  Can I trust you?

Too many times I've had artists play all friendly, only to find out that when the money stops flowing, I've lost a new "friend."  If someone just wants to do business with me, that is PERFECTLY OKAY!  I love meeting new people, but I'd much rather they be REAL people.

Availability/Speed – Because someone is quick and reliable/fast?

I've waited 2-3 years for commissions in the past.  It's not ideal, but real life happens.  Communication is important, here.  It's rare that I'm ever in a hurry, though.  Sometimes I'll get gifts for friends for holidays or birthdays, and that's just about the only time I'll ask if things can be done by a certain date.  :-)

Quality – General artistry/draftsmanship – does this matter to you?

Quality...  Kind of an iffy word in relation to art.  It's very subjective.  My perception of quality may differ drastically from someone else's.  I tend to really like sketches.  Being a colorblind synaesthete, I find sketches carry a lot more subtle detail and emotional expression than a "perfect" full-color piece.  Style is really the big draw for me.  "Is the idea that I have in mind going to work in this artist's style?"  Often times I'll come up with scenarios BASED on an artist's style.  :-)

Athari

11 years, 8 months ago

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@ fluffdance

> I tend to really like sketches.

I think it depends on the artist's abilities. Some artists draw awesome sketches, but ruin them by coloring. Some artists draw crappy sketches, but later improve them into awesome art. I often notice that most costly tier is not necessarily the best one.

But in general, the better the sketches, the more I like the result, be it a finished art piece or not.

Shokuji

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost is probably the initial factor for the less than fortunate. They know that art is a luxury item but that doesn't mean they don't want it anyways. I struggle with figuring out how much to charge, and lots of furs seem to be annoyed when you try to use something like Patreon or even regular auctions. o.o; But if the other items (you listed) are more important then cost becomes less of an obstacle.

Subject/Content is a factor; if an artist isn't going to (or can't) draw what you want then they're not going to get the offer in the first place (I'd imagine). But somehow I feel this isn't as big a factor as...

Style/Vision as you wouldn't commission an artist if you didn't like their overall style. Some people commission specific artists specifically because they want their style. But this seems to be less important than cost (from my observations).

Artist is a potential factor but often people view artists through rose tinted glasses; ignoring negative things the artist does because it doesn't directly affect them, for example. There are a few furs out there who care what kind of person an artist is before considering to support them, but most people don't seem to worry and are more concerned about price/speed.

Name is probably a bigger factor for some but not for others. Those who are trying to achieve popufur status would care about getting their characters drawn by someone famous in the furry scene. If they're not that type then name would would probably matter more if they're an artist they've admired for a while. Perhaps it's an artist that got them into furry!

Availability/Speed is probably second to cost, because who doesn't like instant gratification, unless they're commissioning for Style/Artist/Name as they'll be more willing to wait.

Quality, not to sound cynical, is apparently the least important. People appreciate concepts more than quality. To a point I understand, a good concept is delicious and without would make for boring art. But as the concept is more appealing the less people seem to care about quality overall. A sketchy doodle of a hot concept will get more views than a masterpiece with a less desirable concept.

So maybe I'd rank things like this:
1- Style/Vision
2- Subject/Content (Concept)
3- Cost
4- Availability/Speed
5- Name
6- Artist
7- Quality

Taleir

11 years, 8 months ago

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Edited 11 years, 8 months ago by Owner

Cost - Rarely is cost a consideration for me, usually because I tend to have a set level of quality.  I almost always go for full-color, shaded pieces with complex backgrounds and interactions.  I'm accustomed to spending up to $200 or more on a piece.  If the artist feels cheated or dissatisfied with the payout for their work, I feel like I did something wrong when arranging the commission.

Content - Given the fetishes I tend to incorporate into my pics, this is probably the biggest block in getting new content together.  I often have a specific idea in mind and will try and select an artist that would be most compatible with it.  For certain things I tend to enjoy, it can be difficult to find an artist who is into it.  Worse yet is the artist who takes the job because I pay well while secretly hating themselves for doing it.  This came to bite me badly fairly recently.

Style - This is entirely on a pic-by-pic basis.  I will tend to go with an artist whose style compliments my own vision for the pic.  This is probably the primary reason I jump around from artist to artist between projects.  That and it adds more variety to my gallery.

Artist - I tend to work with artists fairly professionally, not trying to get too friendly with them.  I tend to want to be perceived as friendly and courteous, but if they don't try getting to know me, I'm not going to push on any barriers.  Despite being a heavy commissioner, I really only have two good artist friends (and only one of those friends that I regularly commission).  Unless the artist was actively hostile or performed especially poorly, this usually doesn't factor into my choice.

Name - Sure, it is cool to be a part of a great artist's gallery.  Its also sometimes enjoyable to check their stats and see how highly ranked my commissioned piece is in their gallery.  =P  But, I tend to end up working with big name artists more because they actually do the work (and therefor have a lot of content that made them popular), rather than out of some desire to be popufur vicariously.

Reliability - Easily the most difficult thing about this business.  There are way too many flaky artists out there.  My rule tends to be: if I don't pay up-front, you can take as much time as you like.  As a result of the generally poor reliability of artists in this fandom, I tend to resist up-front payment as much as possible.  Besides!  My gallery has TONS of repeat business.  I'd like to think I'm a safe bet as far as my paying up goes.  And even in the rare cases things didn't work out for one reason or another, I still pay for any work that they did deliver.

Quality - I tend to commission only very high quality pieces.  I'm a "go big or GTFO" kind of commissioner.  Artists that don't show full-quality pieces as one of their strengths tend to get overlooked by me.

Hope this helps you get some insight.

Athari

11 years, 8 months ago

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> I tend to resist up-front payment as much as possible

I wonder how successful you are in this, because almost all artists and writers I've commissioned prefer being paid up front. Those preferring being paid after the work is done are a tiny minority.

Taleir

11 years, 8 months ago

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Pretty good actually. Most of the artists that I work with regularly seem comfortable with it. I do compromise often, agreeing to pay in stages rather than once after proof of work is delivered.

The other caveat is that if I must pay up front, they forfeit their tip. On larger projects, this would be a significant chunk of money.

Athari

11 years, 8 months ago

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Edited 11 years, 8 months ago by Owner

In case of regular commissions, I don't think the choice between paying before and after really matters. At this point both the artist and the commissioner trust each other enough.

Anyway, on the large scale, this choice doesn't matter much anyway. From my experience, failures were around 5% money-wise, all of them are on small commissions, and half of them made against better judgement (read: I'm the one to blame). Maybe I'm just lucky, but I'm not convinced arguing is worth it.

Carrot

11 years, 8 months ago

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I'm an artist that typically accepts pay once it's complete.

I've probably done about... 150~ commissions this way now. So far only ONCE has this bitten me, and it was quite recently. I have a picture on my desktop that I finish about a month ago. It came out pretty flippin' awesome, but the person who commissioned me kind of disappeared and is having financial issues.

I get life happens - but that SUPER sucks for me. 75 bucks down - awesome picture made, and no one gets to see it yet... I figure, if they truly disappear, I'll just post it anyways, since it's pretty awesome :/

Anywho, since then - I've been developing a new thing. My wait time is always a couple months because I always have a giganto list and I'm dumb. (instead of cleaning it out, I just pile it up as I finish stuff) I used to charge when it was done, but for first time commissioners, I'll charge before I work on it. Not upfront, but before I draw - I'll charge.

I always wondered if charging first would deter people from tipping, but - anyone can just hit the donate button again and tip if they were pleased. I just assume a lot of people don't tip.

DivineFrog

11 years, 8 months ago

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Not charging until the pic is done is good, and earns respect. At least for me, which is why I like working with you so much. Respect translates to loyalty and trust. Also I find that paying first almost always leads to worse results as the artist subconsciously is just trying to finish the pic to get to the next one. I say that about artists in general, and not about you Carrot, as you seem to genuinely care about the stuff you do. Thats why your waiting period is so long; you don't rush peices just because you have a large clientelle. +respect <3

Taleir

11 years, 8 months ago

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Well, you see trust is the issue starting out.  An artist certainly would like to get the pay off before doing the work, but that hardly sounds fair.  If they already have the reward, where is the incentive to do the work?  Not only that, the moment money leaves my hand, I've given up almost all of my control over the transaction.

In the case of a hostile artist who just ignores me after getting my money, paying fully up-front leaves me little choice but to just start bitching; bitch at them privately, bitch at them during their art streams, bitch at Paypal for a refund.  Who wants to be THAT person?  If I can do something to avoid having to resort to that, I'm gonna take it.  I've had to do this before, and I hated every moment of it.

Personally, I think the best way for an artist to protect themselves is to use the Paypal invoice system, something Aogami wrote about a bit ago.  They can send an invoice to be paid after the work is done, plus they have their Paypal information.  In the case the commissioner doesn't pay, the artist has the means to completely shut down their account.  Likewise, the commissioner have the means to do the same to them if they don't hold up their end of the agreement.

Its very equitable, even if it is pretty much holding a gun to each other's head.  Its probably the closest to a proper contract you can get without actually using contracts.

Athari

11 years, 8 months ago

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Bitching isn't the worst case. I once had an artist complain about me publicly, because they were unable to scan their art and refused to ship it. :-/ Literally, after about a year, I've heard, "I've drawn your commission, but I won't show it to you, because laws."

But cases like this are exceptions, usually taking the easiest route of agreeing to the artist's terms is less stressful for both, on average.

"	Not only that, the moment money leaves my hand, I've given up almost all of my control over the transaction.

Not entirely so. If you haven't paid, no one owes you anything. You can't bitch. :-)

"	Personally, I think the best way for an artist to protect themselves is to use the Paypal invoice system

Does it actually work? I wouldn't risk telling PayPal, "I've drawn pedo zoophilic porn with animal-human hybrids furry art and this bad guy refuses to pay!" I bet that would result in two instant bans rather than justice of any sort. They easily ban for much smaller offences.

Funny that you mention Aogami, because Aogami's gallery is full of stuff PayPal doesn't like.

Taleir

11 years, 8 months ago

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"	Athari wrote:
	Not entirely so. If you haven't paid, no one owes you anything. You can't bitch. :-)

Which is why they're permitted to take as long as they want if they don't take money up front. I will eventually ask if they actually have any interest in doing the commission, 'cause chances are I can find another artist to do it, but I will NEVER appear hostile or upset about it.

You're right. I can't bitch! I'll just be content with being one instead. x3

"	Athari wrote:
	Does it actually work? I wouldn't risk telling PayPal, "I've drawn pedo zoophilic porn with animal-human hybrids furry art and this bad guy refuses to pay!"

Well, you don't tell Paypal the nature of the art. You would just say "they agreed to do a full-color digital artwork, yadda-yadda," and keep the specifics vague. Another nice thing about the invoice system is the artist no longer has to worry about payments coming in with comments that reveal too much information. The artist gets to specify what the work is in the invoice without specifying the dirty little details. :P

Athari

11 years, 8 months ago

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You say that both the artist and the commissioner have means of shutting down each other's accounts. Surely they have to prove something before any action is taken? And how do you prove anything if even detailed description of the commission is missing?

Taleir

11 years, 8 months ago

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Complaints honestly won't be handled that differently from how Paypal transactions work presently for pornographic art. That is, complaints are a REAL bad thing and should be avoided at all cost and handled tactfully if they do occur.

The only benefits here are that the artist gets evidence that work was agreed to by both parties in Paypal's systems (the biggest argument for taking up-front payment is to have this protection), everyone has each other's Paypal information in case it comes to complaints, and the commissioner gets to hold onto their money until the work is done, ensuring the artist has incentive to do the work and that all their concerns are satisfied before they give up their portion of control over the transaction.

colinstu

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost – Is cost alone something that will deter/encourage you to commission someone?
* Sort of. I'm not a cheap-ass/poor so I can afford "expensive" stuff ($40-60). If it was >$100 it would have to be pretty damn orgasmic.

Subject/Content – Will you commission an artist solely because they draw things other people won’t?
* Yes. People drawing birds isn't very common, let alone hot birds.

Style/Vision - To see something unique and different (in execution/artistry)?
* Mhmm! Every artist has their own style... and if I watch the artist then there's something about their style I like.

Artist – Will you commission someone because you like them/what they stand for (maybe their actual art is 2nd)?
* Maybe but this hasn't been the case for me.

Name – Is it cool seeing popular artists work with your characters?
* Very much so! Popularity is fun I must admit, but I don't strive for it.

Availability/Speed – Because someone is quick and reliable/fast?
* It's nice if they're quick but I understand if things take awhile. I'll wait if I know the results are gonna look awesome.

Quality – General artistry/draftsmanship – does this matter to you?
* Not sure? Quality is subjective, and typically you won't get very far if the "quality" isn't there whatever that is. I don't mind a whole bunch of quickly done sketches if there's some fun ones in there.

Zippo

11 years, 8 months ago

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Simply: Quality/cost ratio, which is a constant variable thats left to the artists own thoughts on 'ability worth', but usually higher quality=higher cost, of course.
"Popular" artists cost more because its expected to pay for the attention of a high-demand artist.
Speed is not normally a factor as its known to take time for quality or place in line, only matters to noobs whom are usually ignored.
Content is a major part of it as its what they actually want so specific limitations you may have to state before work is done.
Make sure payment is available and/or taken before a single line is done or youll just end up doing freebies the whole time.

Carrot

11 years, 8 months ago

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Edited 11 years, 8 months ago by Owner

@ Zippo

xD - I'm not asking for advice - Just curious what YOU PERSONALLY consider when going about a commissioning other people~!

Zippo

11 years, 8 months ago

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Edited 11 years, 8 months ago by Owner

Well, its what I meant to do as I KNOW you know how to take commissions, its what I go through anyways, as for actually getting /recieving one. Describing the actual process as to exactly what is held privately. I do not commish ppls publicly, learned that lesson long ago.
plz remove my entries at they dont seem to be valid.

Carrot

11 years, 8 months ago

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@ Zippo

Quite the contrary~! This is valid input from an artist. The artist's interpretation on what commissioners find valid. And a pretty thorough review on it too. If you don't want it removed, I'll leave it.

UrbanSaint

11 years, 8 months ago

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I don't commission artist but here is my opinion on the topics if I do commission people someday

Cost – Is cost alone something that will deter/encourage you to commission someone?
For the most part it would. I'm not gonna pay for something I don't think I could afford to get. Everyone has other RL expenses that take priority over having pics of stuff drawn for them. With that said, most artist I've seen actually underprice themselves

Subject/Content – Will you commission an artist solely because they draw things other people won’t?
Most people have their own kinks and fetishes and others don't. Some people won't even go into drawing pornographic pictures at all while others draw it almost exclusively, which is perfectly okay. If someone isn't interested in drawing something because they don't feel comfortable drawing it, I'm not gonna think less of them

Style/Vision - To see something unique and different (in execution/artistry)?
Definitely. I think this is what would be coolest about being a commissioner; to see pics of characters you may have imagined and seeing other artist interpretation of said character over the years

Artist – Will you commission someone because you like them/what they stand for (maybe their actual art is 2nd)?
Liking someone is always a plus. I doubt I would ever want to do business with someone who acts like a asshole all the time

Name – Is it cool seeing popular artists work with your characters?
Not really that important to me. If the artist is popular then there really isn't much "bragging rights" to be had when you get a commission off them because chances are hundreds of people also have a pic commissioned by them already XD

Availability/Speed – Because someone is quick and reliable/fast?
I would be more concerned about communication more than their speed. If a pic will be finished by the end of the week that's great. If someone thinks they will need 2 months to finish a pic then that's fine too, but I expect to be updated about its progress on a reasonable basis. Some artist just naturally draw faster than others, so I don't see a reason to criticize the speed of their work if they at least keep me updated

Quality – General artistry/draftsmanship – does this matter to you?
It does matter to me, but I am a person who is easily impressed so good quality to me shouldn't be too hard to accomplish XD.

Nishi

11 years, 8 months ago

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I pretty rarely get commissions - since I can draw most the stuff I want to, I'd reeeally have to want to see something in someone else's style. But let's see!

Cost – Important since it determines whether you can actually afford it or not. Most folks are about average - $20-$30 for a colored picture - so if it's a lot pricier than that, I'd just think about all the other artists with that price range I might rather see something in. If it's less than that, and they're talented and developed, it's a neat surprise but I'd still have a hard time unless I had an idea in mind.

Subject/Content – Most ideas I'd have in mind are naughty, so I'd need someone that could do my particular kind! (: Definitely narrows the margin.

Style/Vision - YES. This is kinda exactly it. Some artists I'll see and adore, and maybe after a while I'll just really want to see something I like in their style - and it's likely a style far different from my own. That's usually the biggest factor.

Artist – I kinda got guilted into commissioning a friend that was offering commissions and wasn't getting much in response. I feel bad about it but they're super nice, and I liked the outcome. (: I also wouldn't want to support someone that didn't seem right, so it's usually gotta be the right person. Also someone you can trust and is visible and knowable, cause some artists get overwhelmed or run away. One of my first closest art friends online did.

Name – It is cool seein' someone cool make stuff of your characters. But sometimes if you're friends that happens naturally. It's more that, I think they're a neat artist or a cool person - so I'd love to see something from them. I think that's different from liking someone cause they're popular - but maybe they're popular for a reason.

Availability/Speed – Kinda! Someone pumping out tons of commissions can be kind of a turn off for me though. I'd just be another number and when people do tons of them, they usually seem generic or similar.

Quality – YUP. I really wouldn't want to put my money into something that wouldn't be fun to show around.

I think it's kinda off this topic - but when people can make things outside of pictures, I think that's rad. Someone doing animation, plushes, hats, whatever - if they can do something special, it seems like a neater offer. (:

MarquisTheChocobo

11 years, 8 months ago

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Who the artist is takes forefront, with quality and speed being of equal value, and cost being in third place for most important.

I don't hold much stock in any of the others.

SirNom

11 years, 8 months ago

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I commission an artist because i want THEIR intrepetation of MY idea. I don't want it to be my dictation of every little detail, i want to paint a picture with my words and have them draw it out.

I have rather unmentionable tastes so i like to commission artists who are open minded and discrete.

CyberneticCephalopod

11 years, 8 months ago

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i think you've hot the nail on the head.  to begin with i can't draw worth spit so i usually start off with a search of
1) WHAT i want.  species, gender, clothing, setting that kind of thing.
2) from there i weed out quality of the art (at least from my point of view)
3) on to style the way a person draws, weather it be cell shaded, digital paint what have you can make a massive difference on the overall feel of a piece
4) not to bash anybody in particular because i know people live off their art, great art takes time, and time is money but some people's pricing..... i only have so many kidneys to offer

Roll the dice

I've read people's journals from time to time, i ALWAYS need more art for my game and I've fallen into the pity party.  take an artist that's usually emotionally unstable to start with, sprinkle in a touch of life's shit kicking and feel sorry and pay them for a commission.  this has only worked out for me on 1 occasion.

feed back.... I AM NOT AN ARTIST I'm descent, at least in my head, at explaining things.  lord knows sometimes i can be as clear as mud in my ideas/visions.  ask questions.  it's not that hard, make sure you have communication with your customers, and let's face it that's exactly what your commissioners are.  a good solid customer rapport is the foundation to you getting what you want (money) and the person getting what they want (porn... i mean...art).  all too often the artist has taken the commission... dissipated for a few weeks and I've gotten something back i didn't really want.  in the same of a nameless few when you confront them about it it's a little volatile .  sadly all this can be avoided with a quick email

CareBear

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost vs quality.

I also usually don't commission artists who post streams, YCH or adoptables, or who have other negative attention seeking behaviors.

kilopy

11 years, 8 months ago

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Edited 11 years, 8 months ago by Owner

I'm gonna answer these mostly in relation to you, with a lot of generalized statements.

I am willing to pay what I think is appropriate for the quality I receive. This is of course entirely in my own head, and something I assess immediately by looking at whoever I am interested in commissioning's gallery. What I can say is that you are very fairly priced. I don't have many weird kinks(by IB standards at least, lol). I like cub, and I like feral, sometimes combined.

It's not hard to find an artist on this site willing to do those. I will say I do think you sound like a fun person, and I would definitely go out and get drunk with you, which definitely helps in my decision(and if you were still lived in the Denver metro area, I would totally be bugging you to do this, I know bars that make kamikaze shots like you wouldn't believe). You do have a unique style, especially in the expressions you draw. Very few artists on IB are able to convey emotions through facial expressions on this site, but you're definitely one of them.

I frankly don't care how popular you are. If you draw well, and attract my interest, I will get a pic from you. Your turn around is the one area that leaves something to be desired. But I understand that real life > this life, so I can't hold that against you, or any other artist, that much. You are quick to respond to PMs, which is something a lot of artists on this site need to improve, and it definitely improves my respect, and trust, for you.

Your quality is great, especially in your paintings. You have a really unique style when it comes to these that is hard to describe.

coonpoof

11 years, 8 months ago

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Content is pretty big for me.  I mean, most artists are not comfortable drawing the kind of stuff I want!  Even though it's just vanilla stuff, I often see this big disconnect when it comes to drawing feral porn.  An artist may be fine with drawing anthro porn, and excellent at drawing cute feral critters and cartoons, but ask them to do both at once and they're likely to say no.  To most people, porn can only involve decidedly humanoid characters!

I also care about cost, but mostly for psychological reasons.  If I throw down a lot of money, it's likely to stress out me and the artist when it comes to figuring out exactly what is wanted.  If the cost is low, it's easier to do things on a whim.  I can toss you some money and see how things turn out, without getting upset if it isn't the perfect picture, and you don't have to worry as much about disappointing me because it's just a quick sketch.

Also, if it's a low cost, I can easily come back for more.  We can iterate, explore ideas, etc.  I want to figure out what you're best at, and what you can make that I'll like the best, and get more of that.  I want lots of quick drawings, because I want to see all your thoughts on the subject.  I love to see early sketches and thought processes.  I want to see how your brain models these things.  Of course, to iterate, you have to have done the last one I asked for, so if you're fast I'll be asking for more as soon as you finish the last one.

I know I get stressed out when I try to do high cost commissions for other people, because I worry if they will think it was worth it.  People judge things totally differently based on how much they cost.  The same thing could be a let-down if it was expensive, pretty cool if it was reasonably priced, or fucking amazing if it was free.

Athari

11 years, 8 months ago

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> Cost – Is cost alone something that will deter/encourage you to commission someone?

Yes. My desire to get a commission from that creator influences the acceptable price range considerably though.

> Subject/Content – Will you commission an artist solely because they draw things other people won’t?

Totally, as I'm a pervert, and many creators find my ideas unacceptable. This can't be a sole reason though, because quality and style need to satisfy some minimal requirements, and the price range needs to be adequate.

> Style/Vision - To see something unique and different (in execution/artistry)?

I'd rather say that I prefer some "range" of styles and if the artist isn't within it, I won't commission them.

> Artist – Will you commission someone because you like them/what they stand for (maybe their actual art is 2nd)?

Rarely, but it did happen.

> Name – Is it cool seeing popular artists work with your characters?

Couldn't care less. I like some of popular artists based on style and quality of their creations, but popular artists are often out of reach: either their prices are crazy or they accept at most a couple of commissions a year or, most likely, don't accept commissions at all.

> Availability/Speed – Because someone is quick and reliable/fast?

It's hard to judge beforehand, so it's rarely a factor. And even if I know the speed, other factors are much more important. It's quality that matters.

> Quality – General artistry/draftsmanship – does this matter to you?

Absolutely. I won't commission an artist if they don't know anatomy.

Most important factor: sometimes an artist seems to share or read my mind and thoughts. In such cases, I don't even need to describe details of a commission, because I couldn't imagine a picture better than they draw. It's very individual though. Roughly 3 artists out of 100 I've commissioned.

Athari

11 years, 8 months ago

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After reading replies of others...

Content in the creator's gallery plays a huge role. Depending on it, I get to know what they want to create, what they are good and bad at etc. So it's crucial that creators don't post only commissions all the time, because their preferences and abilities are burrowed underneath creations for others, and they risk creating similar things over and over again.

It's preferable when a creator enjoys what they're doing. So when I ask for art or stories involving well-known characters, the first question I ask is whether they're fans (it's especially important for stories).

A factor which influences acceptable price range is how much of gallery content of a creator I enjoy. I don't mind paying more if they bring me lots of joy by what they have posted already. If a creator undersells themself, I can add a tip.

If I'm sure about the quality of result, but a creator doesn't like the idea, that increases the price (that's an extremely rare case; once I've paid four times the usual price...). On the other hand, sometimes artists were willing to draw anything, but I couldn't force myself to commission horrible things, because content in their galleries was tame and I it somehow felt wrong...

Sharing is crucial. I got a couple of commissions from artists who didn't want anyone else to see the art, but then I decided against this. It's just not fun. If an artist doesn't permit sharing hi-res version with others, it's also a factor.

I really appreciate when artists work professionally. When they send sketches and WIPs, when they warn about delays and other issues etc.

Oh, and some creators are assholes. Unfortunately, you usually understand it when it's too late. Fortunately, it doesn't happen often (around 2 ruined commissions, around 4 undelevered commissions so far).

charbold

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost - Yes. Money ain't cheap. Neither is anything else for that matter. I guess I'm coming to terms that I'm saying this in the most money grubbing kosher manner possible but it's how I feel for what I'd get out of the matter. Though I'm learning to place a greater value on supporting an artist that I like.

Subject: Maybe. Depends on what I want to have drawn. Weirder fetishes tend to have less of a chance of having decent artists drawing anything of their content.

Style: Yes. For you (and other artists) specifically. You have a long established history and style of drawing purdy eyes as well as short cute and fat feral creatures. Mostly bunnies raccoons and otters. I'm pretty sure you're capable of drawing more or less anything, but you're the guy to go for bunny humpin'.

Artist: Somewhat. I tend to display more complete disdain for anyone I feel is trying to take advantage of their viewers than wanting to support people who support their fanbases or their art excessively.

Name: Less than Somewhat. I'd only care about a popular name on my art if I wanted a large established fanbase to see it.

Speed: Yes. Gattagofest. Be contractually obligated to go fast. I'm the type of person who would rather see 10 sketches than 1 detailed piece. Fast and regular updates of pictures get me harder than the porn they may or may not be themselves.

Quality: All of the yes. Quality and craftsmanship is the single most important factor of a commission. Everything else can be forgiven mostly if the end result will be of a high quality.

I feel that I disagree that paying for a commission is not buying a product. In the end, I'm a consumer who pays someone for a good and/or service rendered. It's black and white, you can call it what you want but art is still an entity produced by labor, labor being productive activity, especially for the sake of economic gain. What I believe you meant to say is that when you pay for art you aren't only getting the end product, but also supporting the artist.

Another thing that I've realized just now after a bit of reflection is that I hold jealousy which leads to resentment towards artists good enough to survive off of their art. They have the ability to do a job they love on hours that they decide from the comfort of their own home. I don't have that luxury and highly doubt I ever will so I am totes jellymad. Feels bad man.

Well there's my 2 cents, I tried to be as honest and analytic as I could. Hope it helps at all.

HerreraGal

11 years, 8 months ago

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It's simple

Otters

More otters

I fucking love otters man

Carrot

11 years, 8 months ago

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@ HerreraGal

Lmao, I can't blame you.

Draco18s

11 years, 8 months ago

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In priority order (generally speaking)

Quality – This is generally important, but I've had some commissions done where the quality was lower in favor of some other factor (typically cost, style, or subject)
Subject/Content – On occasion this matters!  And when it does, it's a strong factor.
Style/Vision - Style is highly important for the subject matter.  I'll generally pick an artist based on what I want drawn, matching their style with the content I want.
Cost – Last major factor.  The remaining three rarely make an impact.
Availability/Speed – Typically not an issue for me.
Artist – Not sure I've ever done this.
Name – I have had popular artists draw things, but generally not for this reason.

Floyd

11 years, 8 months ago

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Edited 11 years, 8 months ago by Owner

Primarily it's the artist. If I commission it's cause I love their style, craftsmanship, etc, and am more than happy to leave them to it with an outline. Cost, speed, and all those things are nice, but I don't need to have to have it. I believe you should commission an artist for what they do not what you would like it to be.

Taleir

11 years, 8 months ago

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One thing I've been trialing here and there is just approaching an artist and asking them if they wanna do anything with Taleir, or giving them a vague idea or theme and letting them fill in the details. You know, paying an artist for their actual creativity rather than, as you put it, a specific product.

I enjoy a bit of surprise and love seeing another's idea for Taleir, but it seems a lot of artists are uncomfortable with this arrangement. Adds too many unknowns and ends up being more work since it often ends up being an iterative process; sketch it out, listen to my feedback and make changes until we arrive on something we both like.

Athari

11 years, 8 months ago

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You mention a very serious problem, actually. Most creators don't tell what amount of details about a commission they prefer. Some work better with vague ideas, some work better with detailed descriptions. It's almost always a shot in the dark.

Carrot

11 years, 8 months ago

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I don't think so :V that's what communication is for.

If you don't see it - ask! But most people I've seen are either "TELL ME EVERYTHING" or like me - "WRITE ME A STORY"

ScottySkunk

11 years, 8 months ago

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i've givin artists free choice with mixed results. it's best to do it with those who get you.

bladejtr

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost is relevant, but if it's appropriate to the quality/work involved then it's not a problem, I have gotten more than one commission just because it was cheap though.
Subject/content it only relevant to the point of if the artist will draw the content that I'm looking to have drawn.
Quality is probably the most important factor for me, I want the quality to be good, and will pay a reasonable price in line with that quality.

One thing not on your list is attitude/friendliness, the nicer and more helpful an artist is the more I want to commission them, and do so more than once. If an artist is a jerk, or is extremely uncooperative during the commission process it's not likely that I will buy from them again.

Everything else is fairly low on my priorities list.

CareBear

11 years, 8 months ago

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I'd also like to add that your art is not only very good, it shows a lot of compassion and thoughtfulness.

shrapnelman88

11 years, 8 months ago

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I'll make this brief

EVAREETHANG...

ScottySkunk

11 years, 8 months ago

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cost, as long as it's reasonable.
content.. depends more on if they will do what i'd commission them too.
style: it's important. it must appeal to me. consistancy also counts
artist... i support those i like
name, sometimes. usually it's more about the style attached to the name.
Speed, needs to be reasonable. you need to be godtier to make me wait a long time. but i will ask now n then.
quality, very important. if im in love with your style i want the effort put int it. acceptions are made if were messing around as friends though, lol

Telain

11 years, 8 months ago

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It's mostly about the quality and style for me. Though cost decides if I get commissions and how many or just fawn over their work.

Style/Vision - I gravitate towards a few themes, but within that realm it is really interesting to see different takes.

Artist – I'll usually come around more if I like them or have a positive interaction. If they come off snotty or full of themselves though, I'm definitely deterred from buying anything or sometimes even watching.

Name – Definitely, though with popularity I can rarely afford more than 1 or 2 pieces.

Availability/Speed – Definitely a plus, but I'm willing to wait as long as I know to expect to.

Quality – A very close third behind style and cost, but plays a terrible balancing act with the latter.

Melkiah

11 years, 8 months ago

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The only important thing is that you're willing to trade and you're cool. I don't spend money on something I can't resell.

Carrot

11 years, 8 months ago

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@ Melkiah

Resell? How do you mean?

Melkiah

11 years, 8 months ago

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The art isn't a tangible good nor does it have any value to anyone other than me.

Karmandel

11 years, 8 months ago

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Cost – Is cost alone something that will deter/encourage you to commission someone?
Not if the quality matches the price and I like the style - and I'm able to meet the price, of course. I won't sell my car to get a single picture, but I think the artists who have really developed their skills deserve the prices they can get.

Subject/Content – Will you commission an artist solely because they draw things other people won’t?
Not solely, the quality has to be there. I've erred in the other direction a few times, and in retrospect it was a waste of money. And it's really amazing how many good artists will actually draw things you don't see in their galleries, if you ask politely.

Style/Vision - To see something unique and different (in execution/artistry)?
Yes, I could see doing that, though it hasn't happened yet - getting a picture without any kinkiness, just because I think the world needs more of that artist's work and they can only afford doing it if someone pays them. But I'd be just as likely to just donate or support on Patreon.

Artist – Will you commission someone because you like them/what they stand for (maybe their actual art is 2nd)?
Commissions as political support? No. If they are doing good works they should be able to get donations for that, and ditto if they are hard up but deserving for some reason.

Name – Is it cool seeing popular artists work with your characters?
So I can be popular myself? Nope. But I like when artists whose style I admire, work on my ideas, no matter if my character is in them.

Availability/Speed – Because someone is quick and reliable/fast?
That helps repeat business a lot! But the better the artist, the more patient I'm prepared to be.

Quality – General artistry/draftsmanship – does this matter to you?
It's the main thing, really. I pay for commissions to get pictures that appeal to me, and it just so happens that bad anatomy, clumsy coloring, and so on will destroy the appeal of a picture for me. YMMV.

starfoxACEFOX

11 years, 8 months ago

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Edited 11 years, 8 months ago by Owner

Biggest factor I have when I commission someone, finding artist that willing to do the commission. Even when there no limit in cost and time.

Most of time I get "art need yiff" or "that to much for my computer to handle"

Carrot

11 years, 8 months ago

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@ starfoxACEFOX

O.o I can't imagine what you must be commissioning then xD I know tons of artist who prefer doing clean stuff - and I don't think 2D art has been limited by software/hardware for a long time >o>

starfoxACEFOX

11 years, 7 months ago

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